Tidying Up the Front End of a 1946 Ford Roadster Pickup

You know how there are some jobs that you just never seemed to get around to? The front of my 1946 Ford roadster pickup is a perfect example. It’s been on the road for a few years now, yet I never seem to find the time to fit the front bumper or fabricate a lower pan. Matters were made worse by the ugly radiator mounts that were supposed to be temporary over a decade ago, and are not only still there, but were in plain view under the grille.

2/37

So, rather than re-mount the radiator (it fits just fine, why fix what ain’t broke?), I decided to do the next best thing—hide those mounts behind a neat lower pan and bumper. I took the opportunity to move the bumper a lot closer to the body, and fabricated mounting brackets from 1 3/4-inch steel strap, figuring that it was so low it’d be worthless as an actual bumper, so I wouldn’t need sprung steel brackets.

3/37Ever since I first built the pickup it’s never had a front bumper or gravel pan, or indeed anything below the grille, leaving the rather unattractive radiator mounts exposed. This is the original bumper from the same car that donated the sheetmetal. I intended to use these brackets, but they’re sprung steel and one was bent.

Armed with a 5x1-foot piece of 18-gauge steel sheet, 12 inches of 1/8-inch C-channel, some 1/4-inch plate, and 3/16x2-inch strap, I set to work, and have to say I’m pleased with the result. Now why didn’t I do this years ago?